The device is connected to a memory (7) by an address bus and a data bus. It is characterized in that, on a clock output, it delivers a clock signal (clki_b) to be sent to the clock input of the memory (6), in that the clock signal. (clki) utilized for buffering the addresses and the data to be sent to the memory is the same, with the possible exception of having undergone signal inversion, as the one (clki_b) delivered on the clock output, and in that the same signal (clki_b) is utilized by the buffer (r1) receiving the data from the memory to buffer the data sent by the dynamic memory on the data bus.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A processing device comprising: a synchronous dynamic random-access memory; a controller circuit; an address bus linking said controller circuit to said memory; and a data bus linking said controller circuit to said memory, wherein said controller circuit includes a first buffer for buffering addresses transmitted across said address bus and a second buffer for buffering data transmitted across said data bus in response to a trigger signal, and said memory includes a clock input linked to a clock output of said controller circuit, said controller circuit providing a clock signal derived from said triggering signal to said clock input.
2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said controller circuit further comprises: a third buffer for receiving data from said data bus and including a clock input; a first interface circuit for providing said buffered data to said data bus; a second interface circuit for providing said buffered addresses to said address bus; and a third interface circuit for providing said clock signal to said clock input of said third buffer, wherein said first, second and third interface circuits have a substantially equal transfer time and said clock signal triggers said third buffer.
3. The device according to claim 2, wherein said controller further comprises: a fourth buffer; and a fifth buffer, said fourth and fifth buffers being connected in series at an output of said third buffer, wherein said fourth buffer is triggered by an inverse of said triggering signal and said fifth buffer is triggered by said triggering signal to provide data from said third buffer in synchronism with said triggering signal.
4. The device according to claim 3, wherein said controller circuit further includes a circuit clock input linked to said clock input of said third buffer, said clock signal provided by said controller circuit being reinput through said clock input for triggering said third buffer.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
December 14, 1998
May 15, 2001
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